Hunk from My Past: Handsome Michael of the Young Sweethearts

Meet Michael of the Young Sweethearts. He's 12" of slim cuteness from 1976. Melissa, his former girlfriend, is missing so he's SINGLE. He's in great shape considering he's lived with me for over 30 years.

Sewing Samples from My Past

Back in the 1970s, I used to "make" my dolls clothes. Funds were limited: I had an allowance of $1.25 a week and daily lunch money. Even skimping on lunch, I needed to choose between dolls or action figures and accessories for them. Dana the budding collector would usually choose a doll or an action figure. I had about three patterns for doll clothes OR I could trace the outline of outfits my dolls wore. My pieces were serviceable. I could "make" the outfits more like what a real person (i.e., ME) would wear.

Here are some pieces I made. I photographed them and then turned some of them inside out to show seams and hemming. In the first photo, I have a rose polyester blouse, a brown corduroy jumper, a white cotton full slip, a denim miniskirt, a gray midi skirt, a white polyester shirt for Michael of the Young Sweethearts, and a reproduction of a 19th Century set of white cotton bloomers.






I didn't have a sewing machine. Nor did I want one at the time. I used old clothes or small fabric swatches from fabric stores. Nothing elaborate. But I had fun. And my dolls had "original" clothes ;-D

Childhood Finds: Malibu Christie and Hasbro Guy

I found this single doll carrying case that houses two of my childhood dolls: Malibu Christie and a Hasbro action figure. Christie was one of my favorite dolls so while she has slight dust from being in that doll case for so many years, she is in pretty good condition. Likewise the Hasbro guy ... whom I bought in a baggie. His name is Captain Don America - at least, that is what I called him. (I don't recall his "real name.") As I took the photo, I thought

1. dust gets into doll cases

2. my Captain America was in the closet

I'm not saying that my Hasbro guy is gay. He's been Christie's companion for years. No, what struck me is that I had him in the closet area, along with Christie's clothes and accessories. OMG, it hit me, I have Kenified an action figure. I had relegated him to "accessory status."

I better duck the Joe fans.

Don's placement wasn't intentionally cruel or deliberate. It is a single doll case. It is Christie's case. There isn't enough room for Christie and Don to fit in that one doll slot. Don was in the closet so that he could share Christie's space. He was/is her man - after she had dated a brown fuzzhead G.I. Joe* and a Black fuzzhead G.I. Joe**.

I suppose I feel embarrassed that my action figures were demoted on entering my then largely doll world. They were drafted into "girl play." All their glory and ranking swept aside to allow them to support a child's storytelling. Rather like I did my dolls so maybe I was not so very bad to them after all.

For anyone curious, when last "played with" Christie was Chief of Police and Mayor of the Doll Kingdom. But Don became Chief of Police when Christie decided that she needed more time for her art. According to the side of the Malibu Christie box, Christie was Barbie's artistic friend.

Asides:

*the brown-haired Joe succumbed to drink.

**the Black Joe fell apart due to drug abuse. Translated: hard play involving Joe "blowing his mind" led to a breakdown of his strung body.

Hope no one is setting up a rescue mission for my action figures. I'm sure that they are happy here. Doesn't Don look happy?